Scottish Executive

Dentistry

Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of any incentive schemes for dentists introduced in each of the last three years and the uptake of such schemes, broken down by NHS board.

Mr Tom McCabe: Information and take-up of the incentive schemes introduced by the Executive in each of the last three years is provided in the following tables.

  (1) A remote area allowance was introduced on 1 April 2002 for those dentists classed as remote dentists1.

  

NHS Board Area
No of Claims
2002-03
No of Claims
2003-04
No of Claims
2004-052


Argyll and Clyde
12
13
14


Dumfries and Galloway
4
24
23


Grampian
0
5
4


Highland
16
9
11


Orkney
3
0
1


Shetland
3
3
0


Western Isles
4
0
3


Total
42
54
56



  Source: Practitioner Services of NHS National Services Scotland.

  Notes:

  1. A remote dentist is defined as a dentist who has to travel 90 minutes of more, as determined by the Microsoft Auto-Route 2002 package (using default settings), by car from the address included in respect of him in the dental list to his local postgraduate education resource centre in Scotland.

  2. Not full year out turn. Claims received up to August 2004.

  (2) An allowance for vocational trainees entering their vocational training year in a designated area1 was introduced on 1 August 2002. On 1 April 2004 an allowance for vocational trainees entering their vocational training year in non-designated areas was introduced.

  

NHS Board Area
No of Claims
2002-03.
No of Claims
2003-04
No of Claims2
2004-05


Argyll and Clyde
3
4
10


Ayrshire and Arran
-
-
5


Borders
5
4
5


Dumfries and Galloway
2
3
3


Fife
-
-
8


Forth Valley
-
-
8


Grampian
8
8
12


Greater Glasgow
-
-
15


Highland
3
3
2


Lanarkshire
-
-
12


Lothian
-
-
24


Orkney
0
1
1


Shetland
0
0
0


Tayside
-
-
12


Western Isles
1
1
2


Total
22
24
119



  Source: Practitioner Services of NHS National Services Scotland.

  Notes:

  1. A designated area is defined as the areas of Borders, Dumfries and Galloway, Grampian, Highland, Orkney, Shetland and Western Isles Health Boards and, within the area of Argyll and Clyde Health Board, Campbeltown, Dunoon, Lochgilphead, Lochgoilhead, Oban, Rothsay, Tarbert and the Isles of Mull, Iona, Colonsay, Tiree, Islay and Jura.

  2. Not full year out turn. Claims received to August 2004.

  (3) An allowance for dentists having their name included in a dental list within three months of completion of training was introduced on 1 August 2002. An allowance for dentists having their name included in a dental list for the first time or on having their name re-included after a break of five years was introduced on 1 April 2004.

  

NHS Board Area
No of Claims
2002-03
No of Claims
2003-04
No of Claims
2004-051


Argyll and Clyde
3
8
2


Ayrshire and Arran
0
0
5


Borders
0
0
0


Dumfries and Galloway
2
1
2


Fife
4
6
2


Forth Valley
0
3
4


Grampian
7
1
4


Greater Glasgow
8
16
13


Highland
0
0
3


Lanarkshire
6
13
8


Lothian
9
3
17


Orkney
0
0
0


Shetland
0
0
0


Tayside
5
4
4


Western Isles
0
0
0


Total
44
55
64



  Source: Practitioner Services of NHS National Services Scotland.

  Note:

  1. Not full year out turn. Claims received up to August 2004.

  (4) Grant for dentists establishing new vocational training practices and for existing vocational training practices which require to be upgraded to meet or continue to meet vocational training standards were introduced on 1 August 2002.

  

NHS Board Area
No of Claims
2002-03
No of Claims
2003-04
No of Claims
2004-051


Argyll and Clyde
1
4
6


Ayrshire and Arran
1
1
2


Borders
0
6
7


Dumfries and Galloway
0
1
1


Fife
0
8
8


Forth Valley
1
4
5


Grampian
0
7
8


Greater Glasgow
1
15
18


Highland
0
0
1


Lanarkshire
0
6
5


Lothian
0
14
16


Orkney
0
0
0


Shetland
0
0
0


Tayside
0
12
16


Western Isles
0
0
0


Total
4
78
93



  Source: Practitioner Services of NHS National Services Scotland.

  Note: 1. Not full year out turn. Claims received up to August 2004.

  In addition, we introduced on 1 April 2004 an allowance for salaried dentists being employed by NHS Boards within three months of completion of training and for those dentists being employed as salaried dentists, who are not already employed in the salaried service, by NHS boards. Information of the uptake of these allowances is not yet available.

Dentistry

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that people in areas of poverty and deprivation have access to NHS dentists.

Mr Tom McCabe: Over the last few years the Executive has introduced a range of measures aimed at recruiting and retaining dentists within NHS general dental services.

  The Executive has also recently concluded a major consultation, Modernising NHS Dental Services in Scotland, which asked for views on how NHS dental services could work best in the future, for both patients and dentists. Responses to this consultation have now been analysed and we expect to make a policy statement in the autumn. In the meantime, we will continue to work with representatives of the dental profession introduced to additional short-term measures to encourage dentists to provide NHS dental treatment while longer term substantial changes are developed.

Employment

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the absenteeism from work due to illness was in each year since 1999 expressed as days per employee per year, calculated on the same basis as the World Health Organization’s European health for all database.

Mr Jim Wallace: The World Health Organization European health for all database uses a variety of sources. For the United Kingdom, figures for days of sickness absence are drawn from a survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI). The survey is a UK-wide survey, and although each year a figure is given for Scotland it is based on approximately thirty respondents, so annual changes should be treated with caution. Table 1 shows the CBI figures for recent years. More robust information on this subject can be provided by the Labour Force Survey (LFS) and is shown in Table 2.

  Table 1. Average Number of Working Days Lost Through Absence Per Employee in Scotland, Based on CBI Survey

  

Days Lost Per Employee


1999
8.1


2000
Not available


2001
6.9


2002
7.4


2003
5.6



  Source: CBI.

  Table 2. Days of Sickness Absence Per Employee Based on the Labour Force Survey

  

 
Scotland
UK


20011 
3.8
4.2


2002
3.5
3.8


2003 
4.0
3.9



  Source: Labour Force Survey, spring.

  Note: 1. Changes in the design of the LFS mean that figures for earlier years are not directly comparable.

Employment

Campbell Martin (West of Scotland) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how many new graduates from Scottish universities have not found employment in Scotland in their chosen fields; how this figure compares with previous years, and what specific proposals it has to ensure that Scottish graduates can secure employment in their chosen fields in Scotland.

Mr Jim Wallace: The relationship between subject of study and the occupation and industry in which graduates are subsequently employed is complicated, with many students choosing to work in areas apparently unrelated to their subject of study. Any estimate based on existing data would inevitably be based on a highly subjective approach. For this reason the Scottish Executive does not make such an estimate.

  It is a strength of the Scottish higher education system that it provides a generalist broad-based education. However, higher education institutions need to ensure that courses are relevant not only to the needs of the learner but the wider needs of the economy and society. Whilst many courses are vocational, development of transferable skills must also be part of the core element of the learning experience so that graduates are prepared to meet the demands of the changing labour market. A survey of employers in 2003 found that 82% of employers felt that university leavers were well prepared in terms of soft skills.

Enterprise

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would support local economic forums seeking to establish regeneration companies in their area.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has asked Local Economic Forums to develop local economic strategies and to feed into Community Planning. The Scottish Executive also supports the development of regeneration companies by local partners where they have identified these as the best vehicle to accelerate growth and deliver regeneration. However, Local Economic Forums are non-statutory bodies which bring together a range of different members on a voluntary basis. If a forum identifies a case for establishing a regeneration company this would need to be taken forward by member bodies of that forum.

Health

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many patients are receiving parathormone treatment, broken down by NHS board.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not available centrally. Prescription data collected centrally relate to prescribed items dispensed in the community by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors. These data are not patient-specific and do not take into account medicines dispensed by hospitals or hospital-based clinics.

Health

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will submit a separate return for Scotland each year to the World Health Organization’s European health for all database to allow adequate analysis of the health problems facing Scotland.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the incidence of tuberculosis was per 100,000 head of population in each year since 1999, calculated on the same basis as the World Health Organization’s European health for all database.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the number of new tuberculosis cases was in each year since 1999, calculated on the same basis as the World Health Organization’s European health for all database.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the viral hepatitis incidence was per 100,000 head of population in each year since 1999, calculated on the same basis as the World Health Organization’s European health for all database.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the number of new viral hepatitis cases was in each year since 1999, calculated on the same basis as the World Health Organization’s European health for all database.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many new hepatitis C cases there were in each year since 1999, calculated on the same basis as the World Health Organization’s European health for all database.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the hepatitis C incidence was per 100,000 head of population in each year since 1999, calculated on the same basis as the World Health Organization’s European health for all database.

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the viral hepatitis A incidence was per 100,000 head of population in each year since 1999, calculated on the same basis as the World Health Organization’s European health for all database.

Malcolm Chisholm: A selection of Scottish health information is currently included in the UK-level submission to the WHO European Health for All database. The Scottish Executive has separately commissioned work to publish the Scottish figures contained in the database. There are no current plans to pursue the possibility of Scotland separately submitting information directly to the World Health Organization (WHO) for the population of their European Health For All database.

  The Scottish Executive considers that comparisons with health information for other countries is a vital part of understanding the health issues facing Scotland, and uses the WHO databases, along with a number of other sources, for a range of analysis to inform relevant policy and decision making.

Higher Education

Campbell Martin (West of Scotland) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive how many marketing graduates from Scottish universities have been successful in securing employment in Scotland after graduation in the current year.

Mr Jim Wallace: The latest year for which information is currently available on the first destination of graduates from Scottish universities is 2001-02. In that year an estimated 45 per cent of marketing graduates were in permanent employment in Scotland six months after graduation. Among the remainder, nine per cent were in permanent employment in the rest of the UK, 10 per cent were engaged in further study, 11 per cent had obtained temporary employment, 11 per cent were believed unemployed and 15 per cent were pursuing other activities.

Higher Education

Colin Fox (Lothians) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many students have been admitted to university medical schools this year and what proportion of such students at each university come from (a) private and (b) state schools.

Mr Jim Wallace: This information is not currently available. The first set of data on the number of admittances to medical courses at Scottish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in 2004 will be available in January 2005 when final UCAS acceptance data for 2004 are published. More detailed information on this year’s entrants to HEIs will be available at the end of 2005 when Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) data for the academic year 2004-05 is first published.

Higher Education

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many graduates obtained a degree in chemistry from each of Scotland’s universities in each of the last five years.

Mr Jim Wallace: The following table shows the number of single and joint degree chemistry graduates from those higher education institutions offering chemistry degree programmes between 1998-99 and 2002-03, the latest year for which this information is currently available.

  Chemistry Graduates from Scottish Higher Education Institutions 1998-99 to 2002-03

  

 
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03


Total
457
431
454
417
382


University of Abertay
*
*
*
*
*


The Robert Gordon University
9
15
16
13
14


The University of Paisley
35
23
25
22
23


Glasgow Caledonian University
33
28
20
21
21


Napier University
12
11
21
15
5


University of Edinburgh
71
95
89
79
59


University of Glasgow
65
51
61
63
73


University of Strathclyde
88
81
81
82
78


University of Aberdeen
41
37
35
26
11


Heriot-Watt University
41
35
39
45
37


The University of Dundee
14
8
13
10
5


University of St Andrews
40
39
34
32
38


The University of Stirling
*
*
*
*
*


Bell College
0
0
0
0
11



  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency.

  Note: Some cells have been suppressed to protect confidentiality. Suppressed cells are denoted by an asterisk.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people contracted methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) during a stay in hospital in each of the last five years, broken down by hospital.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally.

  Data is available on the rates of episodes of MRSA bacteraemia (blood poisoning) by health board. This information is published quarterly by the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health (see www.show.scot.nhs.uk/scieh/).

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the extent of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in private hospitals.

Malcolm Chisholm: No information is available.

International Relations

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken, or plans it has, to increase links between Scotland and Poland.

Mr Andy Kerr: Scotland and Poland enjoy strong historic ties and I am pleased to note that partnerships continue to flourish today between our two countries across many sectors.

  The Scottish Executive has participated in a wide range of activity to increase links between Scotland and Poland. The Scottish Executive EU Office liaises closely with the Polish national representation in Brussels (where the Pomerania and Malopolska regions recently opened offices in Scotland House) and with regional offices in Poland with a view to identifying potential opportunities for partnerships between organisations in the two countries. Officials have also visited Poland to increase awareness of Scotland in Polish administrations and to widen and deepen contacts with Poland.

  In June 2004, the Scottish Executive welcomed two secondees from the Polish School of National Administration and held a seminar to introduce Polish stagiaires in Brussels to Scotland House and to the Fresh Talent initiative. A Polish scientist was amongst those invited to attend a bioscience workshop organised by the Executive in June under the "crossroads for ideas" public diplomacy campaign in conjunction with FCO and the British Council.

  Polish journalists have been invited to visit Scotland in October to learn about the International Image project announced by the First Minister in July.

  Scottish Development International is working in partnership with a range of agencies including UK Trade & Investment, Scottish Council for Development and Industry and the Euroinformation Centres to promote business opportunities in Poland and the other new member states. This includes supporting companies on trade missions and attending exhibitions. Companies attended two events in Poland last year with attendance at a further three planned for this year.

International Relations

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what follow-up activity has been undertaken of its involvement in the (a) Scotland with Catalonia and (b) Scotland in Sweden series of events and whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre a report on the work undertaken by it, or its agencies, since the end of the initial series of events.

Mr Andy Kerr: Such follow-up activity would be undertaken by specific policy areas of the Executive along with their counterparts in the region visited. As such, no specific report, covering the areas where follow-up activity has taken place, is available.

  The Scottish Executive has developed a framework for evaluation of all aspects of a promotional programme abroad, including post event follow up. The framework is being used during the Scotland in the Netherlands programme which is currently underway. The report will be available in spring 2005 and this will be used to further develop the framework if necessary.

Osteoporosis

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the financial benefits to the NHS of investment in preventative measures to reduce the incidence of conditions such as osteoporosis.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive does not hold information specific to osteoporosis on the possible financial benefits to the NHS of investment in such preventive measures. The only known preventive measures which may reduce the chances of some people developing osteoporosis are lifestyle changes such as diet, exercise, and the reduction of alcohol consumption, all of which are already actively promulgated by the Executive because they may help reduce the risks of developing a wide range of conditions.

Rail Network

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what improvements in journey times between Edinburgh and Glasgow it has secured under the new ScotRail franchise.

Nicol Stephen: The new franchise agreement is based on the current level of service. However, the delivery of a reliable and regular service between Edinburgh and Glasgow will be underpinned by a tougher performance regime in the new franchise agreement and our investment in new trains with additional peak time passenger capacity.

Rail Network

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much rolling stock ScotRail currently holds; what its fleet carrying capacity is, and how much of the rolling stock is currently non-operational and for what reason.

Nicol Stephen: The ScotRail daytime fleet currently comprises 234 trains with over 40,000 seats.

  The rest of the ScotRail fleet currently comprises of 53 sleeping vehicles and 11 vehicles with seating accommodation offering a total of 864 berths and 248 seats per night. In addition, there are 11 lounge-cars which provide refreshment facilities for sleeping car passengers.

  Presently, all of ScotRail’s rolling stock is operational.

Rail Network

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on the reinstatement of the Stirling to Alloa to Kincardine railway line and whether there are any funding difficulties in respect of the line.

Nicol Stephen: Following Royal Assent to the Stirling to Alloa to Kincardine Railway and Linked Improvements Act 2004, work on the detailed design of the scheme continues on schedule.

  In parallel with this work detailed discussions with Network Rail and on funding issues are continuing. The partners in the Stirling to Alloa to Kincardine Project Execution Team (Scottish Executive, Clackmannanshire Council, Fife Council, Scottish Enterprise Forth Valley, Strategic Rail Authority) remain confident that the project is proceeding on schedule.

Roads

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated security costs are from any protests that may arise from the proposed construction of the M74 northern extension.

Nicol Stephen: No such costs have been estimated.

Roads

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any estimates of the impact on health of the proposed M74 northern extension.

Nicol Stephen: A health impact assessment of air quality impacts of the construction and operation of the M74 Completion scheme has been carried out. The M74 completion scheme is not assessed to have any detectable effect on the health of local residents.

Student Finance

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will reply to my letter of 12 June 2004 regarding a proposed 2004-05 cut in financial support for student parents.

Mr Jim Wallace: I replied to your letter on 17 August 2004. I have attached the text of this letter below, for your convenience. It has also been placed in Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 33821).

  "Thank you for your letter of 12 June 2004 about the financial support available to student parents in academic year 2004-05. I apologise for the delay in replying. I have also received correspondence on this issue from several members of the Scottish Parliament, and have responded directly to Melanie Ward of NUS Scotland on this matter.

  As you know, from April 2003, the new tax credit system became available to students depending on their income. Effectively, this change meant that most eligible students would get, through the tax credit system, most of the help that they were receiving under the student support system in the form of the dependant’s and school meals grants. We could not justify maintaining this double provision but we did want to make sure that students were not adversely affected while the tax credit arrangements were implemented. That is why we decided that no change would be made to the dependant’s grant or the school meals grant until academic year 2004-05.

  I am aware that, as Ms Ward points out in her letter, students with one dependent child may be financially worse off under the tax credit system than they would have been under the dependant’s grant. Decisions about the allocation of limited funds are always difficult, particularly when they concern vulnerable groups, but we would not have made this decision if we were not convinced that other forms of support were available. As you know, one of the other changes we have made to student support from 2004-05 is to reallocate to the hardship funds budget the resources previously used to provide hardship loans to students in financial difficulties. This will increase the amount of non-repayable support available to students and we will make it clear in the guidance issued to institutions that we expect priority to be given to students who have one dependent child when hardship funds awards are made.

  We have recently completed a review of learner funding which included consideration of the support available to students with dependent children. My officials are continuing to work with key stakeholders, including the National Union of Students, to develop effective policies to address the financial and practical barriers that these students may face when entering or continuing in further and higher education. The Executive is committed to the elimination of child poverty and to preventing poverty in the future and support for student parents is a key element of that objective. This is why we provide additional financial support of up to £1,150 a year to lone parent students and a further grant of up to £1,075 a year to help with the cost of registered or formal childcare. It is also why we are providing £20 million in Communities funding between 2004-06 to help disadvantaged parents in deprived areas into work by ensuring that availability of child care is not a barrier to entering education, training or employment. We have also provided funding for the mentoring initiative for lone parents which helps individuals move closer to education and suitable child care and by signposting other services which can assist in overcoming a variety of barriers.

  I hope that this reassures you that support for student parents is an issue which we continue to take seriously and one which we are addressing in a variety of ways."

Teachers

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers have retired through ill health in the last five years.

Tavish Scott: The information available is given in the table, held on a financial year basis. The approved cases include applications which were successful on review.

  

Year
Applications Received
Application Approved


1999-2000
521
400


2000-01
496
365


2001-02
461
357


2002-03
472
327


2003-04
439
286

Teachers

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers have accepted early retirement with no enhancement in the last five years.

Tavish Scott: The table shows the number of teachers who have accepted early retirement with the consent of their employer to release and pay the additional costs for the early payment of their pension and lump sum (PREM) and those who have taken an actuarial reduction from their pension and lump sum (ARP). Any enhancement given would be at the employer’s discretion and added to the employer’s element of the pension. Enhancements in these cases are not recorded by SPPA.

  

Year
Premature Retirals
Actuarially Reduced Pensions


1999-2000
100
-


2000-01
222
-


2001-02
182
-


2002-03
514
16


2003-04
581
172

Teachers

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the life expectancy is of a teacher retiring after 40 years service.

Tavish Scott: This information is not available.

Teachers

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers who have retired in each of the last five years worked for 40 years, gaining their full pension entitlement, expressed also as a percentage of the total number of teachers retiring each year.

Tavish Scott: The information available is given in the table and is held on a Financial Year basis.

  

Year
40 Years Service
% of Retirements


1999-2000
86
3.67%


2000-01
117
4.88%


2001-02
120
7.45%


2002-03
219
6.63%


2003-04
335
17.29%

Tourism

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any advertisements about visitscotland.com are paid for in full, or in part, by VisitScotland and what arrangements are in place between VisitScotland and the provider of the website in respect of payment for advertisements.

Mr Frank McAveety: Under the terms of the public private partnership agreement between the partners in the eTourism joint venture company, all VisitScotland marketing must promote exclusively and prominently the visitscotland.com website name and telephone number. eTourism Ltd is the public private partnership company set up to provide, develop and operate the website, and it is paying a concession fee of £1 million over the life of the project for these exclusive arrangements. eTourism Ltd also provides the technology platform and e-commerce infrastructure required to deliver the services set out as part of the public private partnership agreement.

Tourism

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to boost ecological and environmental tourism in the Highlands.

Mr Frank McAveety: A range of organisations, including the Tourism Environment Forum, based within VisitScotland’s Inverness Office, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Natural Heritage and Highland Council, work together to promote ecological and environmental tourism in the Highlands. In particular, VisitScotland promote wildlife tourism through their Wildlife Scotland brochure and website dedicated to promoting this growing sector, while the Green Tourism Business Scheme raises the environmental performance of all member businesses; it is already one of the biggest green tourism schemes in Europe. In addition, the recently formed WildScotland trade association supports this important and fast growing part of the tourism market by providing businesses, many of them in the Highlands, with a valuable opportunity to make our natural resources more accessible to visitors with an interest in the environment, and the wildlife, of Scotland.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Parliamentary Accommodation

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how much was spent on maintenance costs for the temporary accommodation of the Scottish Parliament in each year since 1999-2000.

John Scott (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): Building maintenance costs for the temporary accommodation in each year since 1999-2000 are as follows:

  

1999-2000
£500,045


2000-01
£401,839


2001-02
£424,691


2002-03
£243,061


2003-04
£307,559



  These figures do not include St Andrew Square, where building maintenance costs were included as part of the licence agreement.

Parliamentary Procurement

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body to what extent goods and services have been procured from suppliers that can "demonstrate that they have action plans and results in terms of environmental improvement", as referred to in Annex D, Environmental Procurement Policy Statement, of The Scottish Parliament Procurement Policy Manual and how this has been assessed and monitored.

Duncan McNeil (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): During the competitive tendering process for SPCB contracts, suppliers are routinely asked detailed questions in relation to their environmental credentials, including action plans, initiatives and results achieved in terms of environmental improvement. Suppliers’ submissions are then assessed against relevant criteria by SPCB representatives. Specifications for both goods and services contracts also set out relevant environmental provisions.

  The SPCB’s standard conditions of contract for both goods and services aim to minimise impact on the environment, including recycling, reuse, energy recovery and energy efficiency. Suppliers are also contractually required to suggest contract changes which are likely to reduce environmental impact. Their performance against contractual obligations pertaining to environmental performance is assessed by contract managers within the Parliament.

  There are several examples of recently-let contracts that have resulted in tangible environmental improvements. Both standard office furniture in Holyrood and MSP local office furniture contain timber from sustainably managed forests accredited by the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC). Also, at the SPCB’s behest, all standard paper used in its main print contract is 100% recycled. In addition, the Holyrood site utilises electricity that is from 80% climate change levy-exempt renewable sources.

Smoking

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body,  further to the answer to question S2W-9872 by John Scott on 3 September 2004, what the scientific basis was for determining that the ventilation rate of the smoking room was to be 15 air changes per hour.

John Scott (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body): The ventilation rate for the smoking room was based on guidance published by the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE). Section B2, Table B2.2 of the CIBSE Guide, Volume B provides recommendations for ventilation rates per occupant and the project Services Engineers, RMJM Scotland, advise that 15 air changes per hour in the smoking room is in line with that guidance.